Tuesday, 18 February 2014

NG 322

The eight in this mix is FERMATAS. The other sevens are FERMATA, STRAFES, AMASSER, and MATRASS ("a rounded, long-necked glass vessel, formerly used for disilling, etc.").

My selection: STREAMS
Best: FERMATAS

Round 2: I H B A L O C R C

I had HAIL and CHORAL. After time I noted other sixes of CALICO and BROACH, and then the seven of CALORIC (as a noun: "heat"; as an adjective: "relating to heat").

Seven is the limit -- CARBOLIC is only listed as part of the term CARBOLIC ACID. The same fate applies to CHLORIC, but there is an acceptable other seven of BORACIC, which somehow gets its own entry (as a variant of BORIC).

My selection: CHORAL
Best: CALORIC

Round 3: Target 928 from 100 75 50 6 2 1

I was in trouble with this mix -- obviously it would be nice to make it as 925 + 2 + 1, but the numbers were not cooperating to make that happen. I had to scramble to even get two away with 930 = 6*(2*(75 + 100/50) + 1), and that was the best I could do within time.

After time I noted a couple of relatively easy one offs: 927 = (50/(6-1))*100 - 75 + 2 and 927 = (6*75/50)*(100 + 2 + 1). The target turns out not to be reachable, and one off is the best to be done. There's a few other ways to get to 927, but only one way to reach 929: 929 = (50 - 1)*(100 - 75 - 6) - 2.

UNHARMED appears to be the only eight; the other sevens are AMENDER / RENAMED, HEADMEN, and UNHEARD.

My selection: UNHARMED

Round 5: O B T K S E M C I

I had BOSKET (thanks to its recent appearance in NG 320: "a grove; a thicket"), COMBIS, and BIOMES.

Six is the best to be done; the others are BISECT, COMETS, SOCKET, KISMET, SOBEIT, SITCOM, COMBES (COMBE being a variant spelling of COOMB: "a narrow valley or deep hollow, especially one enclosed on all sides but one"), and SOMITE ("any of the longitudinal series of segments or parts into which the body of certain animals is divided"). The Macquarie's oddities strike again as it does not list TOBIES as the plural form of TOBY ("a stick used to raddle sheep not shorn to the owner's satisfaction"), so it would not be allowed.

My selection: BOSKET

Round 6: Target 248 from 50 100 5 6 6 8

I started with the standard method and a straightforward 248 = 5*50 - (8 - 6). Then I looked at the factorisation 8*31 and was pleased to be able to avoid the large numbers entirely with 248 = (6*6 - 5)*8.

My selection: 248 = (6*6 - 5)*8

Round 7: S L P T E O C P E

I had PELTS, TOPPLES, and PEOPLES. I'd been hoping for a U for COUPLETS, but I should have hoped for an E instead of that last P to give TELESCOPE.

The other seven is STOPPLE ("a stopper for a bottle or the like"; it also has a verb sense). But the eight is ESTOPPEL ("Law a bar or impediment preventing a party from asserting a fact or a claim inconsistent with a position he or she previously took, either by conduct or words, especially where a representation has been relied or acted upon by others").

My selection: TOPPLES
Best: ESTOPPEL

Round 8: Target 854 from 75 100 50 2 8 4

I went with the straightforward 854 = 8*100 + 50 + 4 and did not look further.

My selection: 854 = 8*100 + 50 + 4

Round 9: SPOILT MEN

I chose this conundrum after having been presented with the similar (not valid) SPOILSMEN.